Toting Around a Reusable Water Bottle

Everyone got by just fine years ago drinking water from the tap and using a basic filtration system. Then suddenly, we were all convinced that that water was tainted! Buying water in plastic bottles became a normal thing. It was convenient and simple to buy cases of bottled water for everyday life. The plastic is recyclable right? The water inside is much more pure than the one you can get from tap right? Not necessarily so. Not only can tap be better, but bottled water is a huge drain on your wallet.

The water inside the bottle

So you would think that buying bottled water would guarantee you the best water possible. Not true. There are so many bottled water companies out there that who knows where they get that water from. Some of it does say it’s from springs or other natural pure sources. Tap water is generally highly processed for contaminants and chemicals, leading tap water to be safe in most areas. Unless you live near a chemical plant, your tap water is probably just fine to drink. New York is supposed to have the best tap water out of the whole country. Bottled water, on the other hand, can claim to come from a spring, but that spring could be just a well in the suburbs. Point is, most likely companies are not testing their water multiple times. Tap water though, is tested thousands of times.

Recycling those bottles

The plastic bottle is recyclable right? Just toss it in and no big deal. While you may be the type of person who does recycle, what about your neighbor or someone who lives in another state? Not everyone has easy access to recycling. Not everyone who does have access to recycling actual does it. Then there is the bottle cap. Sometimes that is recycled, and sometimes it is not. It is usually made out of a different type of plastic than the bottle itself. Number 5 most likely, which is harder to recycle and a lot of recycling facilities do not bother with it. In single stream recycling systems, where all types of recycling is put together and sorted by hand, sometimes those caps are just thrown out. They are so small that they are not worth recycling. Recycling centers still need to make a profit; their bottom line like any business is to make money.

Money in their pocket, not yours

Bottled water costs so much more than just water from tap! You are not just paying for the water, you are paying for the bottle to be made and the marketing and advertising of the company. Take a look at the water bill and you will see that you are steadily losing money for each case of bottled water you buy. Now think of all those companies that are taking your money, for putting something you can get from your kitchen faucet into a bottle and marking up the price.

The solution is reusable water bottles

My hubby and I barely ever buy bottled water. We only buy it if we have to, but not on an everyday basis. When we go out, we try our best to bring along a reusable water bottle so we do not end up buying bottled water. We end up saving a lot of money and do not have to deal with all that recycling. There are tons of options for reusable bottles now. It is a matter of changing your habits and then seeing the savings pile up!

Are you a bottled water addict? Or do you love your reusable water bottle?